Ferb Sandwich
by karly05
Summary: Itty Ferb has a Bad Dream. Just a bit of Family Fluff and Sweetness I felt like writing. It helps to know my earlier "Itty Ferb" stories.


**A/N – A little bit of Itty Ferb fluffiness that I just felt like writing. It helps to be familiar with my earlier Itty Ferb stories. You all know who belongs to Dan and Swampy.**

Ferb Sandwich

Ferb Fletcher curled himself into a ball, trying to make his already small self even smaller. The clawed hands sank into his shoulders and pulled him into the air and the shrill voice crowed in his ear, "You are _mine… mine… mine…_" The ground fell far, far below him and the wind whistled past and his home looked smaller and smaller as the horrible woman carried him into the sky. He didn't want to look at her, he knew better than to look at her, but he couldn't help himself. Her face was pale and pretty, but her eyes were dead and cold and her hair was a wild tangle of green, just like his. Ferb wanted to call out for help but he couldn't make a sound; he wanted to fight free but he didn't have the strength. All he could do was surrender to his own tears as he was torn away from everything he knew and loved…

Then he felt the touch of his own pillow and saw the glow of his night light and he was awake and the dream, the terrible, frightening dream was over. He was still curled tight and he couldn't stop shaking – well, of course he was shaking, it was cold, and he realized he had kicked away the blankets. The dim room came into focus, and he managed to sit up in his bed. The comforting sound of soft, steady breathing came from the other bed in the room, and Ferb turned to his right, his eyes making out the shape of Phineas's triangular nose pointing at the ceiling. He was glad he hadn't disturbed his brother. _Brother_. Ferb liked that word. He'd had a brother for only about four months, but it felt like he and Phineas had known each other for so much longer than that.

Ferb drew his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. Part of him wanted to crawl into the other bed, because he knew he would never get back to sleep in his own bed now, but Phineas was smiling and Ferb thought he must be having a nice, happy dream, and he didn't want to spoil that. It was too bad they didn't have a pet of some sort. Even a pet that didn't do much would be fine, as long as it was warm and furry and he could snuggle with it. He sat and watched Phineas sleeping while he thought about what to do. Ferb didn't often have bad dreams, but when he'd had them back in England, he would sometimes crawl in to sleep with his father. Dad was away right now, though. He had gone to a big auction somewhere to look for antiques for the antique shop he and Mum were starting. Mum was here, but… Ferb had not thought of sleeping with his parents since they had become one family. Maybe she wouldn't mind. There was one way to find out.

Ferb tiptoed very quietly out of the room, but Phineas never showed any sign of waking. When he reached his parents' door, he saw that it was open a crack, but he still knocked on it. That was the rule, they were always to knock on the door and wait for Mum or Dad to say they could come in. Ferb tapped his fist against the wood, but no one answered. He didn't want to make too much noise, but he tapped again, just a little bit harder. When there was still no answer, he pushed the door open just a little bit farther, and carefully peeked in. Mum was breathing softly, just as Phineas had been, and he knew she was asleep. Ferb stood and thought for a moment. He didn't want to disturb her, but he really _really_ didn't want to go back to his own bed. Maybe it would be all right if he just climbed up and made himself comfortable on top of the covers next to her feet. That wouldn't be too much of a bother, surely.

As soon as he planted his arms and boosted himself up, however, Mum blinked, and stirred, and opened her eyes. She squinted at him and murmured, in a sleepy voice, "Ferb?" As he let his feet back down to the floor, she raised herself on one elbow and said, "Honey, what's wrong?"

Ferb hesitated for only a moment before he blurted, "May I come in with you?"

Mum sat up, throwing back the covers to invite him in. "Oh, sweetie," she said in a comforting voice, reaching out to help him up. "Bad dreams?"

All Ferb did was nod, and she was drawing him into her arms and rubbing his back. He didn't know if Dad had told her, or if she had figured it out on her own, but back-rubbing was the thing that always made Ferb feel better when he was sad or afraid. Mum's flannel gown was thick and soft, and he rested his head on her shoulder, already feeling warm and drowsy and calm. "It's all right now," she told him gently. "It's all gone."

It wasn't quite all gone, but he was feeling much better. Mum helped him lie down and tucked the blankets around him and kissed his forehead as she settled herself. Ferb was facing her and before she could fall back asleep, he asked her in a quiet, hesitant voice, "Mummy… you wouldn't let someone take me away, would you?"

"Never, sweetie," she assured him. She didn't ask if that was what he had dreamed about, but he was certain she understood. She brushed her fingers through his hair, combing the last scary thoughts out of his head. Yawning, he wiggled closer to her, and she let her arm rest over him, and Ferb knew he was safe. The kind, funny, patient, red-haired woman was his mother, his Real and _Only_ mother, and she would never let anything harm him.

He was just sinking into that nice, sleepy feeling when there was a rapid knocking on the half-open door and Phineas's voice, fast and frantic, was saying in a loud whisper, "Mom, Ferb's gone, I can't find him, he's not in his bed…" Then Mum sat up, and so did Ferb, and Phineas took a big breath and said, "There you are! I thought you were lost!"

"No, Ferb's just in here with me. You want to come in, too?" It wasn't really a question; Mum was already peeling back the blankets as Phineas scampered onto the bed. "Decide where you want to be," she told the more energetic boy in a fond tone that still clearly said '_settle down.'_

"Right here," said Phineas, plopping down behind Ferb and wrapping an arm around his tummy. "We can make a Ferb Sandwich!"

Mum laughed softly at this and leaned over Ferb to kiss Phineas good night. Then they all settled down, and Ferb felt warm and protected as he drifted away into happier dreams. A Ferb Sandwich, he thought, was something very nice to be.

THE END

**A/N – No, I'm not bringing Ferb's original mother out of the shadows, but that doesn't mean he doesn't dream about her. He does eventually learn what became of her, and I may deal with that someday, but that's off in the future.**


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